finance
U.S. Charitable Giving Hits Record $617 Billion in 2025
Total donations rose despite elevated prices for essentials, led by $394 billion from individuals. Bequests increased nearly 17 percent after inflation adjustment while billionaire wealth grew 16 percent.
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U.S. charitable giving reached a record $617.2 billion in 2025, according to a report from the Giving USA Foundation researched and written by Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Individuals supplied $394 billion, or 64 percent of the total, an increase of 1.4 percent after inflation adjustment from the prior year.
Foundation giving rose nearly 3 percent to $117 billion. Giving through bequests jumped nearly 17 percent after inflation adjustment. The increase in bequests partly reflects strong financial-market performance in recent years that raised estate values, said Amir Pasic, dean of the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.
Overall giving set a new high yet still trailed the 16 percent surge in U.S. billionaire wealth during 2025. MacKenzie Scott gave away $19.2 billion in 2025, accounting for roughly one-third of all megagifts tracked that year.
Her donations included an $80 million unrestricted gift to Howard University and a $40 million donation to the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. Elon Musk, whose net worth passed $1 trillion in 2025 after the SpaceX IPO, publicly criticized Scott’s approach last month.
” “The biggest challenge I find with my foundation is trying to give money away in a way that is truly beneficial to people,” Musk said.
“It’s very easy to give money away to get the appearance of goodness.
